Power electronics solutions for sustainability

This paper presents an attempt to asses the possibilities of power electronic solutions to enhance the sustainability of the electric energy system. Firstly, the concept of sustainability is discussed and a definition is proposed. This definition emphasises the flexibility of the system to be able to incorporate future innovations and engineering achievements. It is shown that for the electric energy system, power electronics offers such a flexibility in different ways. This applies to the end users, distribution and transmission systems, as well as the connection of primary energy sources. In addition to flexibility, also controllability is offered, which is important for the energy management, incorporating load management and energy savings. The technical solutions of the different applications mentioned are reviewed. It is argued that power electronics solutions could give an important contribution to the sustainability of electric energy systems.